<VV> Re: Top Frame

[J R Read_HML]

Oh...   I'm assuming (in my prior note) that you have the gears, motor, 
switch, the part that goes in the engine bay (a relay?), etc for your frame.

The power tops (LMs at least) have gears at the bottom (back - lower part of 
boot area on both sides) end of the frame instead of springs.  And, of 
course, you ditch those big hold down clips from the boot area.  I don't 
know if yours is EM or LM.  I don't know anything about EM tops - other than 
I believe they are hydraulic and don't know if they have the gear assembly 
(but assume they must).

Attachments (if any) are scanned with anti-virus software.

Later, JR

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Bannister" <jimster1@earthlink.net>
To: "'Bill Hubbell'" <whubbell@umich.edu>; <vairologist@juno.com>; "'Norman 
C. Witte'" <ncwitte@wittelaw.com>
Cc: "'Virtual Vairs'" <virtualvairs@corvair.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 2:28 AM
Subject: RE: <VV> Re: Top Frame


> Bill,
> Thanks for the great photos of you power top frame restoration.
> Unfortunately, I think I've discovered that the "power top frame" that I
> bought from a guy is a plain Jane POS standard manual frame.  With your
> photos I'll dissect it more thoroughly tomorrow.  What really gets me, 
> aside
> from the wasted $$$, is I've barked my shins on this thing too many times 
> to
> count.  I've stumbled over it for over a year in my shop.
>
> Next topic: anybody got a "genuine" power top frame that they'd like to 
> part
> with?  Imposters need not apply.
> Jim B.
> '66 turbovert, awaiting real top frame.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: virtualvairs-admin@corvair.org 
> [mailto:virtualvairs-admin@corvair.org]
> On Behalf Of Bill Hubbell
> Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 8:46 PM
> To: vairologist@juno.com; Norman C. Witte
> Cc: Virtual Vairs
> Subject: <VV> Re: Top Frame
>
> Sheese!  A guy gets a little behind on his E-mail and look at the grief he
> gets! (G)
>
> Norm, I completely disassembled (as much as possible) my son's 1965 power
> top frame and sandblasted it in my cabinet and then painted it.  Yes, I 
> did
> just dump all the bolts and nuts in a bucket, although I did keep the 
> bolts,
>
> washers, bushings, and nuts together as a unit.  Afterwards, it was rather
> interesting figuring it all out, but I did OK except for one weird part 
> that
>
> only exists on a power top frame and is not identified in any pictures in
> the parts books.  Fortunately for me, I found a fellow up in Canada who 
> had
> a power top frame sitting in his basement and a quick phone call solved 
> that
>
> problem.  Pictures are here:
> http://community.webshots.com/album/166830733VpMGzt
>
> As for worries about sandblasting the joints you can't disassemble, it was
> not a problem at all.  I did blow them out carefully afterwards, and yes,
> paint did get into the joints, but after drying several days they worked
> fine with no binding, etc.  Obviously, I cannot speak to the effects of
> powder coating.
>
> The header piece does come apart from the side pieces - remove the hex 
> bolts
>
> with Phillips head that attach the latch mechanism and then latches can be
> removed and the header slid out from the side pieces.  As for that strange
> Phillips screw, I really don't know what it does - I just took it out for
> cleaning and painting and put it back in afterwards.
>
> Mark carefully the location of the male hinge where it attaches to the 
> body
> so you don't have to go to a lot of trouble when you reattach it.  As for
> the rest of the adjustments, they really aren't so hard once you have the
> top frame reassembled on the car -- maybe easier with a power top, since 
> you
>
> can move it up and down to help adjust.  Anyway, the shop manual tells you
> how to do it.  Make sure the top frame is adjusted properly before you 
> start
>
> installing the new top fabric, though.
>
> If you have any other questions, just ask!
>
> Bill
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Norman C. Witte" <ncwitte@wittelaw.com>
> To: <vairologist@juno.com>
> Cc: <whubbell@cox.net>
> Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 4:12 PM
> Subject: RE: Top Frame
>
>
>> Smitty, thanks, I will do that; in fact I just did via cc.  >:)  I took a
>> lot of pictures, but maybe not enough.  I do have a second top mechanism
>> for
>> a power top that I think I might not sell until I get mine correctly back
>> together.  I compared them and although there are some crucial but minor
>> dimensional differences, I think they are assembled the same way.
>>
>> I think maybe it would be a good idea for me to do a highly detailed
>> presentation of putting it back together and adjusting it for my web page
>> so
>> that there is a web reference with more detail than the body manual has.
>> I
>> was thinking also of including a blow by blow on painting and adjustment.
>>
>> Norm
>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: vairologist@juno.com [mailto:vairologist@juno.com]
>>> Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 2:51 PM
>>> To: ncwitte@wittelaw.com
>>> Subject: Top Frame
>>>
>>>
>>>         I don't know if Dr Bill will respond to your request on VV or
>>> not.  I would strongly recommend that you private post to him
>>> requesting
>>> information.  He not only had all the decisions to make that you are
>>> having, but he also had a problem with the arrogance (we all have) of
>>> thinking he could put whole thing went back together correctly from
>>> memory.  He did have pictures of bushing and bolt instalation
>>> details he
>>> had to gather in order to do it right which he may share.
>>>       Try
>>>
>>>
>>> Smitty
> _______________________________________________
> This message was sent by the VirtualVairs mailing list, all copyrights are
> the property
> of the writer, please attribute properly. For help,
> mailto:vv-help@corvair.org
> This list sponsored by the Corvair Society of America,
> http://www.corvair.org/
> Post messages to: VirtualVairs@corvair.org
> List info: http://www.vv.corvair.org/mailman/listinfo/virtualvairs
> _______________________________________________
> _______________________________________________
> This message was sent by the VirtualVairs mailing list, all copyrights are 
> the property
> of the writer, please attribute properly. For help, 
> mailto:vv-help@corvair.org
> This list sponsored by the Corvair Society of America, 
> http://www.corvair.org/
> Post messages to: VirtualVairs@corvair.org
> List info: http://www.vv.corvair.org/mailman/listinfo/virtualvairs
> _______________________________________________